


Time is Not to be Taken Lightly

by Squishy_Princess



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, BAMF Adrien Agreste, BAMF Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Badass Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, No one dies this time guys!, Preparation, planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-28 02:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30132279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squishy_Princess/pseuds/Squishy_Princess
Summary: This is based immediately after season 3 episode 21 chat blanc.Marinette is a smart, bamf, creative female who finally puts her brains to use after Chat Blanc forces her to actually think about how she’s handling her life right now.Reposts on other sites are okay with credit. Translations, podfics, and fan art are always welcome.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 56





	1. Preparation is the Key to Success

Ladybug’s encounter with Bunnyx left a sour taste in her mouth. Time travel had always been a theory that annoyed her. Nothing was _ever_ concrete. Plus, coming back to fix an issue was just one step away from an unstable time paradox. She had a migraine just from thinking about it. Sitting in her room she realized she was being far too reckless. There were so many different ways for her identity to be compromised, and clearly that was a _very bad thing._ That had to stop _now._ How many times had she been forced to detransform? What if she got cornered by a reporter? What if she ran out of time mid battle? All her clothing was handmade and easily recognizable. Even if she covered her face, it would be likely that people would figure it out. She needed a solution to that issue _yesterday,_ but first, she needed to debrief her partner. 

Chat put forth the first idea. A second layer of suits for them. Something lightweight that they could wear underneath or over their normal clothes. He’d even been the one to recommend commissioning Marinette to make their second layer of super suits. 

Chat had told her that he changed in front of others very often and couldn’t wear anything underneath his clothes. Together they agreed that a black hoodie would cover most of his identifying traits. She of course added some personality to the hoodie. Meow-ch was embroidered into the front of it and cat ears were added to the hood. She also added a clip to the front of the hood so he could attach it to his hair. He loved the hoodie and told her so very enthusiastically. She made it out of extremely lightweight fabric so it could be easily shoved into a bag without taking up too much space. 

Her own cover up was much harder. A body suit would be the easiest thing since she could simply take off her outer clothes. However, she had to add bra support and an easy way to use the restroom. No one wanted to completely undress just to pee. She also needed it to not be completely obvious in case someone ever saw Marinette in it. It ended up being mostly black with red seams and accents. She embroidered a couple little red ladybugs near the neck, which Chat told her were the cutest little things he’d ever seen. 

She also created an over the shoulder bag that fit nearly flat on her body when it held nothing in it except her mask. She had to change up her style a little bit to hide it, but it allowed her a safe place to store her clothes. It wouldn’t do to leave her stuff in random places. Anyone could see or steal it. Tiki assured her it would simply disappear with her transformation. She ended up wearing a white embroidered blouse she’d made and switched out her normal jacket for a new pink denim jacket. She put Jagged pins, Ladybug pins, Chat pins, and many others on. She made sure to leave the jacket in a safe spot before running to cover. (Such as at her desk, locker, or bedroom.)

The final step was their second masks. She realized very quickly that straps just weren’t secure enough. Then came several days of adhesive testing. It had to go on easily and come off easily. Funnily enough she ended up choosing an adhesive used for strapless bras. It stuck well and peeled off easily. Plus it was reusable, and it wouldn't harm their skin. Chat spent a good hour giggling about it but also agreed that it was the best mask she’d made. 

Both felt a good bit of weight fall off their shoulders once the second suits were done. It was one less thing they had to worry about. One less piece of added stress. The amount of relief they felt knowing their identities were safe cemented their plans. Preparation was the key to winning this war.


	2. Equalizing the Playing Field

The last time they had a shot at beating Hawkmoth they’d been sorely unprepared. Neither was able to fight him. He was much stronger and much more experienced. That had to change. Together they both signed up for self defense classes. Marinette told her parents that she wanted to learn mixed martial arts for her heritage as well as being able to defend herself against akuma attacks. Adrien convinced his father to sign him up for kickboxing. It took much more work since Gabriel insisted that the Gorilla could protect him from anything. He pointed out the many times he’d been left alone or attacked and finally convinced his father. 

They met up after their lessons to teach each other what the other had learned. Together they rapidly improved their fighting style and the added time spent together also helped strengthen their own partnership. Parisians had even begun to notice their improved teamwork. Akuma times slowly but surely grew shorter over the next several months. Both of their instructors were impressed with their determination and rapid improvement. 

They also spent the time to truly learn how each other’s miraculous worked. They had weekends where they swapped miraculous. Paris grew used to seeing Mr. Bug and LadyNoir. While both had agreed to never remove their miraculous again, they both decided it was better to be prepared. Chat learned how to swing smoothly and Ladybug learned how to smack someone _hard._ After every switch they could feel their understanding of one another improve. Knowing how your partner thought, moved, and worked let them know how to adapt for each other. 

Ladybug also sat with Chat and took the time to plan out contingencies and safe words that could be used to convey plans to each other. Using the massive codex of akumas they’d fought she was able to make plans around each akuma type. Chat was excellent at picking specific phrases for them to use. He’d chosen a dozen different puns that could be used in most situations that both of them could use to convey battle plans. Hawkmoth cared little for their teenage 

In the end, the added lessons and closeness created a terrifying duo. Akumas barely stood a chance against them and Paris praised them for their improvement. The relief took much longer to hit after they’d finished this step, but when it did it helped relax the young heroes even further. They were ready for anything. They were prepared for whatever Hawkmoth threw at them.


	3. Securing Your Own Assets

Before they could spend any amount of time together there was clearly something that had to be addressed. Ladybug would never date Chat Noir, and it wasn’t because she couldn’t love him. When they had their suits on their only thoughts could be of protecting Paris. If they got distracted for even a moment it could mean the end of the world as they know it. She’d lost Chat several times already because he'd made a move on her during battle. That had to stop. She needed him to help her through battles. When he was mind controlled it made it so much harder to fight the villains and when he _died…_ she could barely function. He was her best friend. He knew her better than most of her friends and she _needed _him to be able to support her.__

__However she didn’t want their dynamic to change. His puns helped keep her centered and angered the akumas just enough that they tended to keep their attention on him. He brought levity to a very serious situation. He was her rock of happiness in stressful times. She was closer to him than anyone else and she could never distance herself from him. She’d rather give up being ladybug than have to fight without Chat at her side._ _

__Chat had sat and stared at the moon for a long time before responding. He understood. He was beginning to realize how badly he’d screwed up sometimes. He needed to be a hero first. He would always love her, but it could wait for safer times. He would improve himself. He would work to become worthy. In the meantime he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d date her dream civilian._ _

__She couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them. He would never be allowed to know she was ladybug. She would have to disappear whenever an akuma popped up. Plus, he’d never know all of her. He would only be allowed to know half the woman he would be dating. Love would simply have to take a backseat until Hawkmoth was over. God help them if one of them went through a rejection or heartbreak. There was simply too much that could go wrong. Romance _needed _to wait until it was safer.___ _

____As much as she wanted to be selfish sometimes, they had to accept that their responsibility as heroes would need to be put first. Until Hawkmoth was gone, Ladybug and Chat Noir would be more important than anything else. They were lucky enough to be teens since they weren’t missing out on job times, but they’d have to work harder to keep up in their classes. They already had to miss some class time due to akumas. They couldn’t let suspicion rise with bad grades._ _ _ _

____They decided to study together since they were in the same grade. (They couldn’t bring their actual work with them since they knew that there was always a chance they had the same work. It would be so hard to ignore that. It was too big of a risk. There were already _so many things _they had to ignore.) Study sessions became the chosen cool down activity after their fighting lessons. Tiki and Plagg were able to censor what they talked about since they spent most of that time in their second suits. (Staying in the Kwami suits too long affected Tiki and Plagg’s strength. The two of them needed to be as strong as possible for akuma fights.) Very quickly they evolved into an easy flowing friendship. They learned which subjects were safe and which needed to be avoided. Tiki and Plagg also greatly enjoyed being able to talk freely with one another. With the enemy being an emotion based miraculous user they thought they wouldn’t be able to do that until he was defeated.___ _ _ _

______Ladybug and Chat wouldn’t let themselves be taken down emotionally. They were able to support each other without compromising their identities. They were stronger now than they had ever been before. There was very little preparation left for them to take on that they weren’t already doing. They were ready to fight off any issue that came their way. They were prepared._ _ _ _ _ _


	4. When the Preparation FINALE Pays Off

Scarlet Moth made his next appearance on Valentine’s Day, because why wouldn’t he continue to ruin the day of romance. (Neither of them would ever be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day without thinking about Hawkmoth. The holiday was forever ruined to them.) while the akumas had been rough their use of battle plans made it easier to take them down. Plus they only needed to take down enough to clear the path to Mayura. Once she was down then Scarlet Moth would lose his akuma army, and it would be possible to finally take him on. 

Taking down Mayura was definitely a challenge. Chat had to distract the akumas still hanging about while Ladybug took on the fierce female. She had to take down the woman before Scarlet Moth was able to reach them. Just as chat and her worked better together, Mayura would be harder to take down with Scarlet Moth by her side. Luckily the damaged miraculous caused the woman to stumble at a very beneficial time. Taking swift use of the advantage Ladybug managed to snag the brooch off the woman and leap away from her in an instant. While Ladybug had prepared her and Chat for the loss of their miraculous it was very apparent that the villains were not. Nathalie Sancouer stood before them in shock. Chat seemed resigned the moment he saw her, but neither of them could focus on Mayura’s identity at that moment. Hawkmoth had joined the fray, and he was pissed. 

With minimal communication, the two heroes split. Chat leapt forward to hold off hawkmoth while Ladybug secured Nathalie. Her yo-yo allowed her to easily lower the older woman down to the waiting police below. It appeared the city had regained their freethought and were quick to help their heroes. The moment Nathalie was secure, Ladybug was zipping in to help her partner. 

Hawkmoth was _strong,_ but together the duo were _stronger._ Using their youth against him, they outmaneuvered his hard hits with their speed. Hit by hit they wore down his strength. Chat landed the final strike while Ladybug dove for his brooch. Landing a safe distance away she allowed herself to mourn the loss of _so_ much. Gabriel Agreste was an idol for many, and a son for one of her closest friends. He had ruined so many memories; so many moments. His face was well known worldwide, and now that image would forevermore be tarnished. 

She turned to her partner and immediately knew something was _wrong_. His eyes held such pain as he stared at the unveiled designer. Moving over to stand by his side she gently tapped his hand. He looked at her and she knew that she would be dealing with the rest of this alone. Nodding to herself she dropped the two miraculous into his palm and began moving over to Gabriel. He was groaning and barely beginning to stand up. With a swift sureness she snagged his arms, got him standing up fully, and wrapped up his wrists with her yo-yo. As she led the designer towards the roof's ledge she felt him puff up. 

“You will never understand my goals.”

“You’re right. There is nothing on this planet worth sacrificing for a wish. You’ve lost so much more than you could ever imagine. Your son will be so ashamed.”

“I did it for us! I wanted us to be a family again! He will understand that I just wanted to bring back his mother!”

“That’s where you’re wrong Monsieur. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Adrien several times, and all that boy has ever wanted was to be loved by his father. He has been waiting for you to see him and now that day will never come. You’ve not only ruined your own life Monsieur, you ruined your son’s last chance to have a parent love him. Goodbye Mr. Agreste.”

Gently she lowered him down, and passed him off to the proper authorities. She no longer cared what happened. He would never get a miraculous again, and she cared very little what the world chose as punishment for magical terrorism. She was free and finally safe. Perhaps if she was asked to testify she would read up on it, but that was a problem for future Ladybug. Present Ladybug had a partner to look after. 

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she was suddenly turned around and crushed in a hug. However instinct took precedent and she found herself wrapping her arms around Chat Noir. 

“Nothing will ever be the same again Mi’lady.”

“I imagine not Chat.”

“At midnight will you meet me under the Eiffel Tower? Wear your second suit without the mask. I’ll wear mine. I can’t wait a moment longer, and I imagine tomorrow it will be busier than a beehive.”

“Yes.”


	5. The Time Beyond the Present

Getting dressed she chose to wear a black skirt with her bodysuit since normal people don’t walk around in (essentially) a swimsuit at midnight. She matched the aesthetic with combat boots and a red jacket. She also tucked her mask into a pocket just in case. Then she transformed and had Tiki take her as far as they could go safely. Walking up to the tower she found it hard to be nervous. Whoever was waiting at the tower was her partner. He was her closest confidant and dearest friend. Nothing else really mattered. 

The moment she saw him standing there in her hoodie, she was running. Sprinting across the concrete to reach him. He braced for impact as their eyes met and caught her as she jumped into his arms. They held onto each other like one of them had almost died. There were probably tears but neither could honestly tell. They very quickly lost track of how long they’d been hugging for. For that moment they simply existed as one unit. 

“My aunt is going coming in the morning to pick me up and move me to England. She’s refused every option that lets me stay here. She’s going to have my mother finally buried, collect the things I need, and then we’re leaving.”

Her heart died. She was finally going to have her other half in her life and he was _leaving_ her. She had not just fought off _a terrorist_ for Adrien just to lose him. **No.** She had not fought so hard for a normal life just to not share that life with the only other person who would understand how much it truly meant. _Not happening._

“I’ll figure it out. I’m not letting us get separated now. We fought too hard for this.”

Grabbing his hands she became leading him towards the bakery. 

“I have to go home Nette. I’ve snuck out as it is.” 

“I’m sure they’re expecting you to be a good boy and stay at home in the same house where your father committed treason, but I can’t find it within myself to care. You’re coming home with me and we’re spending your last night in Paris in a comfortable place. We have so much to catch up on as I won’t leave you alone in that damn mansion tonight.”

She melted at the soft look he gave her. He didn’t even say anything, just gestured for her to lead the way. Hand in hand they walked through Paris simply chatting away about themselves. Slowly they connected the awkward civilian moments with their superhero moments and relearned their dynamic. Embarrassing crushes were brought to life and boundaries were reassessed. By the time they actually reached the bakery they were once more closer than two atoms smushed together. It was easy to head upstairs without waking up her parents. They laid on her chaise and simply thrived together. Two teens existing outside the world's control for just a moment. He fell asleep before her. She watched him for a minute before getting up. She had to talk to her parents.

The next morning Mrs. Cheng woke the two teens up. The baker couple welcomed Adrien with open arms and distracted him with food while Marinette did some last minute preparation. The temporary family of four chose to ignore the world for a little while longer and simply enjoy their morning. Telling old family stories and having a pun off. They joked and laughed all the way up to his aunt's arrival. 

“My nephew’s phone tracker has led us to this building. Is he here?”

“Yes ma’am. He wasn’t comfortable staying in his _terrorist father’s_ house. He is always welcome here.”

“That won’t be necessary any longer ma’am since he’s moving to London.”

“What country he’s living in doesn’t change his status. He will _always_ have a home with us. Adrien! Marinette! Ms. Graham de Vanily is here to collect you.”

Adrien watched in shock as Marinette grabbed a duffle bag and became walking out with him. 

“Marinette... you can’t come with me.”

“Says who. I have a plane ticket that just so happens to be on the same plane as you and one seat over from your chair, my passport and visa were expedited thanks to a certain rocker uncle, I rented an apartment exactly five blocks away from Ms. Graham de Vanily’s Mansion, and my parents have already agreed to ship the rest of my belongings and sign me up for a new school. You didn’t seriously believe I’d let you leave me all alone?”

Both Adrien and his Aunt looked shocked. However Adrien’s quickly melted into warmth. He reached over and pulled her into a strong hug. 

“I love you so much, Nette.”

“I love you too, Kitty Cat, and we have the rest of our lives to figure out what that means.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making things italic in HTML is so tedious, but it’s worth it. Hope y’all enjoyed! Might add one more chapter, might not.


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